Cherry oat bars (gluten-free)

Looking for a recipe that’ll make your house smell wonderful, yield a generous amount of baked goods, and provide nutrition and sweetness in one bite? Here it is. These cherry oat bars, which can also be made into chocolate cherry oat bars, are gluten-free, high in soluble fiber (lowers cholesterol) and oozing with tart cherry filling.

If you opt for the chocolate option, these bars take a definite shift into the dessert department, but either way, they make a filling breakfast, snack or scrumptious dessert.

Ingredients

For bars:

1 cup oats

3 cups finely ground oats

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs

For filling:

1/2 cup coconut flakes, optional

1 cup chopped chocolate, optional

1 16-ounce jar sour cherry fruit spread

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix bar ingredients in electric mixer until everything is combined and sticky.